Gallant Journey (1946): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1946, Gallant Journey is a drama and history film directed by William A. Wellman, running about 85 minutes. “One Of The World's Most Exciting Adventures!” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. Director William A. Wellman adds another to his long line of salutes-to-aviation films in this bio of an aviation pioneer, John Montgomery (Glenn Ford.) In 1883 he built a practical glider despite the opposition of his friends, who thought he was crazy, and of his family, who were afraid that his dreams of flying would hurt his father's political ambitions. He pursues his education at Santa Clara University where the Jesuits lend a helping and understanding hand. An earthquake destroys what appears to be a working model for an airplane, but a gold-sorting machine Montgomery invented, and then neglected, promises to provide for his financial needs to keep working on his aircraft until he gets involved in costly lawsuits defending his invention.

Who’s in it. Gallant Journey stars Glenn Ford as John J. Montgomery, Janet Blair as Regina 'Ginny' Cleary, Charles Ruggles as Jim Montgomery and Henry Travers as Thomas Logan, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 6.1/10, Gallant Journey has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Gallant Journey page.

If you liked it. Fans of Gallant Journey tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.